Spindle unit for textile machine

ABSTRACT

In a textile machine, a spindle unit for carrying yarn spools for covering a continuous core caused to pass through said unit, comprising a first spindle facing in one direction, and a second spindle coaxial with and facing in opposite direction to the first spindle. The two spindles in each unit are made fast with each other to rotate in one same direction to enable the spiral winding on said core for a first covering yarn and then a second covering yarn in the same direction and between the coils of the previously wound yarn.

United States Patent 1191 Menegatto Sept. 10, 1974 SPINDLE UNIT FOR TEXTILE MACHINE 1 3,822 widgeman et al 537% ,6 l [76] Inventor: Carlo Menegatm, Vlale slclha 3,439,484 4/1969 :1 57/16 108/10, M01123, Italy 20052 3,717,959 2/1973 Chatin 57/18 [22] Filed: Oct. 25, 1973 [2]] pp No 409 664 Primary ExaminerDonald E. Watkins [30] Foreign Application Priority Data [57] ABSTRACT Dec 1 1972 Italy 32411/72 In a textile machine, a spindle unit for carrymg yarn spools for covering a continuous core caused to pass [52] Cl t M 57/16 57/18 57/16() through said unit, comprising a first spindle facing in [51] Int CL z 7 6 6 3/38 one direction, and a second spindle coaxial with and 5 Field 13 15 1 17 1 facing in opposite direction t0 the first spindle. The two spindles in each unit are made fast with each other to rotate in one same direction to enable the spi- [56] References Cited ral winding on said core for a first covering yarn and then a second covering yarn in the same direction and 2 0 979 iTj PATENTS 57,160 between the coils of the previously wound yarn.

,ll i er 2,579,244 12/1951 Seifried 57/16 7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures 1 SPINDLE UNIT FOR TEXTHJE MACHINE This invention is concerned with improvements in or relating to textile machines for generally yarn covering, particularly for covering a continuous elastomer or rubber core by two or more covering yarns or threads spirally wound along the length of said core. More particularly, the invention relates to the provision of a device for covering a continuous yarn or core by spirally wound covering threads, which device uses a dual spindle unit carrying at its ends and at mutually overturned positions the covering thread spools for a continuous core which is caused to move through an axial bore in the spindle.

Machines are known for making a covered yarn, wherein a continuous core, such as of elastomer material, is caused to continuously pass through a plurality of hollow spindles separated from one another; each spindle carries only one covering yarn spool, the yarn being spirally wound on the core by a predetermined pitch depending on the speed of rotation of the spindle and flow of the core. Each individual spindle is rotably driven at the same speed or rate by suitable belt drive systems, so as to allow a smooth winding of the covering yarns on the core.

Such prior art systems suffer from disadvantages in that for output maximization, the flow speed or rate for the core to be covered should be increased and accordingly the winding rate of the covering yarns. This involves the rising of considerable stresses in the spindle supporting and pivoting systems because of the extreme difficulty in operating the rolling bearings at the required high speeds of rotation. Therefore, by such prior art systems, the output cannot be increased beyond a certain limit.

There are also problems in spindle balancing, which have required the use of counterweights and particular expedients for spindle self-alignment. Although such devices have been generally satisfactory, there are however causes associated with the system being used that would cause an uncorrect balancing, particularly because the covering yarn mass carried by each spool continuously changes, decreasing as time elapses; thus, the need would exist for a counterweight device continuously accomodating such a varying mass.

Therefore, in order to solve the above mentioned problems, the present invention is aimed to a device for covering a continuous core either made of elastomer, rubber, or comprising any thread, by at least two covering yarns spirally wound in one same direction, the device using a particular spindle structure, through which the core to be covered is caused to pass from bottom to top. The spindle structure comprises a rod idly rotating about its longitudinal axis, rotably carried at an intermediate location thereof and defining an upward facing top spindle and respectively a downward facing bottom spindle in opposite direction to the former, the bottom spindle carrying a first spool for a first covering yarn of said core, and correspondingly the top spindle carrying at overturned position with respect to the first position a second spool for a second covering yarn, the two spools'being rotated by the spindles concurrently and in the one same direction for spirally winding the first yarn on the core moving through the axial bore in said rod, and then the second covering yarn between the coils of the previously wound yarn.

By the above described device, the drawbacks of the prior art systems can be avoided in that, the speed of rotation for the spindles being unchanged, the output can be increased to percent, substantially allowed by the capability of doubling the passage rate of the core through the spindles, while maintaining unaltered all of the features in covering said core and still maintaining the speed of rotation for the spindles and hence the stresses of the rolling members withing reasonable limits. In a device according to the invention, this can be justified by the fact that, as a spindle carries two spools at opposite position to each other and sequentially concurrently winding the covering yarns, the pitch for the winding coils of the covering yarns can be made higher than that of the conventional systems, thereby being possible to increase the feeding rate of the core to be covered, and hence the output. On the other hand, in conventional systems an increase in output, which would obviously involve a higher feeding rate of the core or thread to be covered, is unavoidably accompanied by a higher operating speed of the spindles along with the above mentioned disadvantages.

The device according to the invention, in addition to a larger output, allows for a correct self-alignment and stabilization of the spindle since the latter carries at its end the masses of two covering yarn spools which are always substantially identical by simultaneously varying through the same ratio.

The invention is also aimed to a textile machine using the above cited device.

The invention will be more fully described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary schematic view showing a textile machine for generally covering yarns or a continuous core, embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, partly sectional view showing a device according to the invention as embodied in the textile machine of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 and 4 sequentially show two covering steps of a core by using a device according to the invention; and

FIGS. 5 and 6 show two further steps, following those shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, for cross covering a core by using a further device according to the invention.

A portion of a textile machine for making a covered yarn is shown in FIG. 1, the machine embodying the improvement according to the invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the machine substantially comprises a supporting structure for horizontal frames 10 carrying a plurality of dual spindle devices according to the invention, as below described and shown in FIG. 2, and herein designated as a whole at 11.

As shown in said FIG. 1, each of the dual spindle devices ll of the lower frame are arranged aligned with a corresponding device of the upper frame to allow the passage therethrough for a continuous core or thread 12 to be covered which, on being unwounded from a spool 13 carried at the bottom of the machine and guided by a first roller 14, firstly passes through the lower dual spindle assembly for winding in one direction two covering yarns carried by the spools 15 and 16 at the ends of said spindle assembly (for a simple covering), or through also a second overlying spindle assembly 11 for subsequent covering by further two yarns carried by the spools l5 and 16', respectively, serving for a dual covering and that can be rotated either in the same direction or in opposite direction to the spools of the underlying spindle assembly, as required. The spindle assemblies are all rotated at the same speed only in case of simple covering, and the lower spindle assemblies are rotated at different speeds than the upper spindle assemblies in case of dual covering by endless tangential belts l7, driven by a suitable drive device located at one end of the machine, and not shown, which belts are guided and run contacting the drive pulley of each spindle. More particularly, with reference to the enlarged example of FIG. 2, each of the dual spindle device according to the invention substantially comprise an idle rotating rod 18 having an axial bore 19 for the passage therethrough of the thread or core 12 to be covered, said rod 18 being rotably carried at an intermediate location for making up a lower spindle portion 18' and an upper spindle portion 18", respectively.

Thus, as shown in FIG. 2, through the interposition of suitable rubber bearings 21, a mounting 20 carried a bush 22 which, through ball bearings or other equivalent means 23, idly rotably carries said rod 18, as shown in FIG. 2, with its ends the rotating rod 18 projecting both at the bottom and at the top of said supporting bush 22, thereby forming the lower spindle portion 18' and the upper spindle portion 18". A helical spring 24, externally arranged about the bush 22 and retained by a threaded ring nut .25, enables to lock, the spindle structure on the frame 10.

Both the lower spindle portion 18 and the upper spindle portion 18 are provided with a pair of rings 26, 27 for supporting and centering a lower spool 28 and an upper spool 29, respectively, each of which provided with a respective covering yarn 30, 31 which is spirally wound on the continuous core or thread 12 fed from the bottom to the top along the axial bore 19 of the hollow spindle assembly thus defined.

Thus, as shown at the bottom of FIG. 2, due to the rotation of spool 28, the yarn thereon forms a balloon 32, causing the coils of the first covering yarn 30 to be formed on the core 12, as shown in FIG. 3, with a constant pitch p due to the feeding rate of said core 12 along the axial bore19 of the spindle, as well as the spindle speed of rotation.

The partly covered core 12 moves upward through out the length of spindle 12, projecting from the upper end of the latter, whereat a second balloon 33 is formed by the yarn 31 unwinding from the upper spool and is retained by a small upper stop ring 34 to enable the spiral winding of the second covering yarn between the coils of the previously wound covering yarn 30, as clearly shown in FIG. 4.

Since the two spools for the covering yarns 30 and 31 are carried by the same spindle at mutually overturned position, thereby said spools rotate in the same direction and the two covering yarns are wound parallel to each other with a pitch p between the coils of a covering yarn which is twice that between the adjoining coils where only one covering yarns should be used. Thus, the core 12 can be fed at a speed twice than that provided by a conventional system, thereby obtaining a comparatively higher output.

When desiring to make a cross-yam covering for the core 12, following the core covering stages as shown in FIGS. 3 and-4 of the accompanying drawings, two further covering stages can be made to follow, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 of the drawings, and in opposite direction to the former, by using a further device according to the invention arranged at overlying position, causing the already partially and previously covered core to pass therethrough.

In FIG. 5, the elements similar to those of FIGS. 3 and 4 have been designated by the same reference numerals, whereas numeral 35 indicates the new covering yarn being wound in opposite direction or in a crossconfiguration relative to the former yarns. Correspondingly, in FIG. 6 the same reference numerals as in FIG. 5 have been used, whereas numeral 36 shows the fourth covering yarn which is parallel wound between the coils of the covering yarn 35, thereby providing as a whole a covered yarn having always constant characteristics.

What is claimed is:

1. A unit for covering a continuous core by covering yarns spirally wound on said core, the latter being moved through the axial bore of rotating spindles carrying associated spools of a covering yarn, comprising a first spindle oriented in one direction for carrying a first spool of covering yarn; a second spindle oriented in opposite direction to said one direction for carrying a second spool of covering yarn; and means for interconnecting and rotably driving the two spindles at the same speed and in the same direction for spirally winding on said core a first covering yarn and a second covering yarn between the previously wound covering yarn coils.

2. A unit as claimed in claim 1, in which the two spindles are coaxial and made fast with each other.

3. A unit as claimed in claim 2, for covering a continuous core by two covering yarns spirally wound on said core, the latter being caused to continuously pass from the bottom to the top through the axial bore of said spindles, comprising a tubular support for a rod idly rotatable, said rod having an axial bore and by both its ends projecting from said support to define an upward facing upper spindle and a downward facing lower spindle, respectively, and means on said spindles for carrying said covering yarn spools.

4. A unit as claimed in claim 3, said rod having a pulley for coupling with a drive belt for rotation of said spindles.

5. A unit as claimed in claim 4, in which said pulley is provided on the top rod portion defining the upward facing spindle.

6. A textile machine for covering a continuous core by at least two yarns parallel and spirally wound on said core, comprising a supporting structure for a plurality of spindle units, mutually arranged in overlying pairs, each spindle unit comprising a first spindle oriented in one direction and a second spindle axially oriented in opposite direction and interconnected to the former, and means for controlling the separate rotation of said lower and upper spindle units, respectively.

7. A textile machine as claimed in claim 6, in which one spindle unit in each pair of units is rotably driven in one direction and the other spindle unit is rotably driven in the opposite direction to said one direction.

Disclaimer 3,834,143.0a1 l0 Memgatto, Monza, Italy. SPINDLE UNIT FOR TEX- TILE MACHINE. Patent dated Sept. 10, 1974. Disclaimer filed Nov. 7, 1977, by the inventor. Hereby enters this disclaimer to claims 1, 2, 6 and 7 of said patent.

[Oficz'al Gazette J amuary 31, 1978.]

Disclaimer 3,834,143.Ual0 Me'negatto, Monza, Italy. SPINDLE UNIT F OR- TEX- TILE MACHINE. Patent dated Sept. 10, 1974. Disclaimer filed June 6, 1977, by the inventor. Hereby enters this disclaimer to claims 1, 2, 6 and 7 of said patent.

[Oyfi'cial Gazette August 16, 1977.] 

1. A unit for covering a continuous core by covering yarns spirally wound on said core, the latter being moved through the axial bore of rotating spindles carrying associated spools of a covering yarn, comprising a first spindle oriented in one direction for carrying a first spool of covering yarn; a second spindle oriented in opposite direction to said one direction for carrying a second spool of covering yarn; and means for interconnecting and rotably driving the two spindles at the same speed and in the same direction for spirally winding on said core a first covering yarn and a second covering yarn between the previously wound covering yarn coils.
 2. A unit as claimed in claim 1, in which the two spindles are coaxial and made fast with each other.
 3. A unit as claimed in claim 2, for covering a continuous core by two covering yarns spirally wound on said core, the latter being caused to continuously pass from the bottom to the top through the axial bore of said spindles, comprising a tubular support for a rod idly rotatable, said rod having an axial bore and by both its ends projecting from said support to define an upward facing upper spindle and a downward facing lower spindle, respectively, and means on said spindles for carrying said covering yarn spools.
 4. A unit as claimed in claim 3, said rod having a pulley for coupling with a drive belt for rotation of said spindles.
 5. A unit as claimed in claim 4, in which said pulley is provided on the top rod portion defining the upward facing spindle.
 6. A textile machine for covering a continuous core by at least two yarns parallel and spirally wound on said core, comprising a supporting structure for a plurality of spindle units, mutually arranged in overlying pairs, each spindle unit comprising a first spindle oriented in one direction and a second spindle axially oriented in opposite direction and interconnected to the former, and means for controlling the separate rotation of said lower and upper spindle units, respectively.
 7. A textile machine as claimed in claim 6, in which one spindle unit in each pair of units is rotably driven in one direction and the other spindle unit is rotably driven in the opposite direction to said one direction. 